Changing platform of an e-commerce website: Gold rules need to know!

As a business person, there are high chances that you may have initially invested in an E-commerce platform. Yes, initially your investment was right however with time you realized that your current platform lacks the prescribed features which are at the end of the day hurting your customer experience. Under such a situation it is better than you should go for replatform.

If you want to become a professional blogger, don’t miss WordPress or WooComerce platform but if you want to create an online store just choose PrestaShop, it is the best platform and is home to excellent features. Secondly, for replatform, it is recommended that you should go for migration modules like Upgrade PrestaShop 1.6 to 1.7 module and WooCommerce to PrestaShop Migrator. However, merely selecting the right modules will not do the job for you; you need to follow certain golden principles to make your replatform successful.

The Key Indicators

There are certain indicators which give you the signal that you need to go for replatform. Some of these indicators are as follows:

Cost of remaining vs. Cost of replatform

The best thing about replatform lies in the fact that it helps your business to grow. However, if your current platform does not possess the ability to integrate the latest technology then this means you ne,ed to shift to a new platform. You need to see to it that the new platform is compatible with modern business trends and is suitable for your business operations.

Timing

Not every platform is suitable for every business and each E-commerce platform has its own unique features and dynamics. There are some platforms that take less time in the completion of replatform process and there are some which take a lot of time. However, end of the day it all depends on the overall complexity of the operation.

Some of the other things which serve as the indicator of replatform are:

Is your business facing serious competition?

Are your customers complaining about your technology?

Has your business outgrown?

Do you think that your platform is outdated?

Research

You need to see what solutions are available for you and what are your actual priorities? You have to come up with a document having the key requirements and aims for your platform. Take a thorough feedback from your marketing team and try to determine what your customers are actually thinking about you. It is preferred that you should also do a proper competitor analysis. Finally, you should see to it that which platform can really provide you relevant features.

Ensure that you get testing time and demos on the platforms that are under consideration. You need to ask the below-mentioned questions from yourself at the time of platform suitability assessment:

Does the new platform allow you customization and personalization that results in your customer satisfaction?

How much integration is possible with other channels?

Is the new platform compatible with mobile devices?

The replatform process

The replatformchanges as per the business requirements. The complexity and timescales involved are very much dependent on the level of required innovation, business size, depth of data and product types. It is recommended that you should work with individuals who have previously done such type of projects. However, the major elements of the replatform process are as follows

The phase of Discovery

Discovery is basically a unique combination of assessment and workshops. It serves as the main foundation of a project that is successful. Discovery is a mixture of the following elements:

Responsibilities and roles

Creative workshop

Functional workshop

Business objectives

Marketing workshop and target market

Designing

The technical and functional specifications are very much based on the requirements that have been gathered in the discovery workshops. It is preferred that you should utilize prototypes wherever you can.

What needs to be built?

Actually, your plan will tell you what has to be built? You should make sure that your code is clean and it should follow the best practices of the platform which you have selected.

UAT

The UAT which means “user acceptance testing” is very important. There are cases where you get too close to the project and you need a new set of perspective and eyes related to your project. The point is that you need to ensure that everything remains on track.

Testing

Before launching the platform take it for a test drive.

Launching

Do not be nervous and launch your website. The launching plan should be clear!

Post Launch

After launching the website do not sit back rather keep testing it and make the necessary improvements.

Managing of replatform risks

During replatform handle the product and customer data with care. You need to keep the data secure

Keep revisiting your discovery document and ensure that the platform is well aligned with project objectives

Working with the experienced people will decrease the traffic impact. The SEO will be affected initially, however, things will get stabilized soon.

Build the integration correctly. Correct integration means that all the involved parties may commute efficiently. It is appreciated if you could develop test scenarios.

Make Your Decision

If you think that replatform will further enhance your business then go for it!